The Gift of Time was the theme of the 2011 Katy ISD Volunteers in Public Schools (VIPS) Celebration that honored 14,522 school district volunteers. This year alone, more than 718,000 volunteer hours were gifted to Katy ISD campuses. This brings the total volunteer hours given to Katy ISD to more than 6.2 million since 2000.

“Based on the average U.S. income, the amount of hours donated to schools each year is worth about $15 million,” says Janet Theis, Katy ISD Partners in Education. “Many campus activities would not take place if it weren’t for the dedication of this community, and this is why our volunteers are so extremely valuable. As a district, we are truly thankful for their continued support.”

Each year, Katy ISD campuses salute their volunteers by selecting a campus “Volunteer of the Year.”

Katy ISD enjoys the support of volunteers who contribute significantly both to the district and their home campuses. VIPS is administered by Partners in Education, the Katy ISD department that brings the community into the classroom. For more information about Partners in Education, visit www.katyisd.org.